October 1, 2015 — C.R. Bard has been sued by a woman from Missouri whose husband died after his IVC filter tilted and failed to protect him from blood clots.
The lawsuit (PDF) was filed on September 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri by Catherine Rowden.
The victim, Johnny Rowden, received a G2 IVC filter in November 2006. Unfortunately, the filter tilted and perforated his vena cava. It also stopped preventing blood clots from reaching his heart and lungs. In September 2012, Mr. Rowden died from a blood clot.
C.R. Bard is accused of selling an unreasonably dangerous and defective medical device. The company is currently facing about 50 lawsuits involving the G2 and Recovery filters in a centralized federal litigation in Arizona.
The G2 filter was designed to replace the Recovery, which Bard pulled off the market in 2005. Unfortunately, studies have linked the G2 to many of the same problems as the Recovery.
One study from 2011 found that tilting was the most common problem affecting retrieval of the G2. Other studies have found that 12% of G2 filters fracture, and the risk increases over time.
The problem is that many retrievable filters like the G2 are left inside patients for years — six years, in the case of Mr. Rowden. The problem is that retrievable filters are only meant for short-term protection against blood clots.
Permanent filters like the Greenfield have a well-established safety profile, but the FDA recommends removing temporary filters 29-54 days after implantation as long as the patient is no longer at risk of a pulmonary embolism.
Do I have an IVC Filter Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is evaluating IVC filter cases in all 50 states, regardless of whether you were injured or not. If you or someone you know received an IVC filter implant, please contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
Please use the form below to contact our Defective Medical Device Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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